USRE2388E - Improved mode of supporting reels for harvesters - Google Patents

Description

rUNITED STATES PATENT OEETGE.

ROBERT T. CAMPBELL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGN EE OF THOMAS I. STEALEY.

IMPROVED IVVIODE OF SUPPORTING REELS FOR HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 18,871, dated December 15, 1857; Reissue No. 2,388, dated November 6, 1866.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that THoMAs I. STEALEY, formerly of Middlebourne, in the county of Tyler and State of Virginia, but now a resident ot' Wheeling, in the State of West Virginia, did invent certain new and useful Improvements in' Harvesting-Machines, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- `Figure 1, Sheet l, is a plan view ofthe machine arranged as a reaper. Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is an elevation of the outer end of the machine. Fig. 3, Sheet 1, is a longitudinal section taken through Fig. 1, in the vertical plane indicated by red line w w. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a front elevation of the finger-beam and a portion of the draft-frame, showing the mode of connecting these parts by a joint. Fig. 5 is a section taken in the vertical plane indicated by red line y y,

Fig. l, looking toward the rear of the machine. Figs. 6 and 7 are views, in section, of a mode of connecting one of the transporting-wheels to its axle. Figs. 8 and 9 are enlarged views of the pit-man-rod and its connections for moving the sickle. Fig. l() is a perspective view of one of the teeth.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

One object of this invention is to have the device which gathers in the standing grain to be cut, and also a toothed rake which will discharge the grain from the platforln in gavels or bundles, supported wholly upon a platform which is hinged to and projects from one side of the draft-frame, and which receives its vertical vibratin g movement, vindependently of the motions ot' the main frame, from the undulations of the ground, as will be hereinafter described.

Another object of this invention is to provide for giving a vertical adjustment to the hinge-connection or joint of a platform, which has a toothed rake and a gathering device com bined with and supported wholly upon it, so

that said parts can be adjusted bodily according to the height of the cnt desired, as will be hereinafter described. j

Another object of this invention is to communicate rotary motion to the pitman-crank through the medium of a transverse shaft and from the main axle of the draft-frame, said parts being arranged beneath said frame, so as to bring the axis ofthe crank nearer to the plane of the finger-beam, and thus have less inclination of the pitman-rod, as will be hereinafter described.

Another object of this invention is to provide for suspending the rear inner end of the platform from the draft-frame by means which, in conjunction with the forward hinge-connection, will allow the platform and finger-beam to vibrate freely at their outer end, and to be adjusted vertically at their inner end, as will be hereinafter described.

Another object of this invention is to provide for tightening the journal-box of the pitman-rod around the crank-wrist when this connection wears loose, for the purpose of preventing the crank from communicating a jerking motion to the sickle when such looseness occurs, as will be hereinafter described.

Previous to the application for the original patenty in this case several harvestingniaehines were constructed in which a carrier or apron, a gathering device for the'standing grain, and a hin ged platform were all combined; but they are, as l believe, all liable to objections, which have been successfully obviated by this invention, for which full protection is now sought.

In the application of Gieger for Letters Patent for a machine for topping and thrashing grain, rejected in the year 1849, he shows such acombination as I have above mentioned 5 but he never contemplated the use of a free jointed connection of the platform with the draft-frame which would allow the platform to descend below a horizontal line, nor did he contemplate having the platform or finger-beam receive a motion from the undulations of the ground independently of the motions of the draft-frame. His platform is supported wholly at one end by the draft-frame, and was only hinged thereto in order to have it elevated out of the way when not in use. With this machine it was very easy to have the rake supported upon the platform. In this rejected application there is no provision made for regulating the' height ofthe platform according to the height of the grain.

In other cases where a carrier, a reel, and a hinged platform'have been` combined, the reel or device for gathering in the standing grain to the cutters was supported partly by the draft-frame and partly by a post projecting up from the outer end of the platform.

The objection to this mode of supporting a reel or other gathering deviceis, that the reelshaft will bind and work hard in its bearings, and thereel-blades are liable to become twisted and broken by the vibrations of the platform. This objection was to some extent modified by having the inner end of the reelshaft pivoted by a gimbal-joint to a shaft which communicated motion to the reel and which was supported wholly upon the draft-frame; but the objection was not wholly removed, as the reel would not maintain its parallelism at all times with the platform, and was difficult to drive.

Having thus stated the general principle of this invention, I will now proceed to describe in detail one of the methods by which that principle is to be carried into effect, in order to enable any one skilled in the art to make and use the thing invented. s

The drivin gparts of the machine are mounted in a rectangular draft-frame, A of suitable dimensions, and to this frame the pole or drafttongue B is secured in any suitable manner.

The supporting-Wheels C D may properly be made of cast-iron of sufficient weight and size, and provided with spurs a a to secure a firm hold uponthe ground. One of these wheels,

C, being the driving-wheel, should be iirmly secured to its axle b, while the other, l), may turn freely upon the axle; or a ratchetwheel, F, (shown in Figs. 6 vand 7, Sheet 2,) lnay be placed within or at the side of its hub, in order to enable this wheel also to assist in driving the Working parts,and at the same time adapt itself to any dierence of speed which Y may be required of the two Wheels by turning the machine.

On the axle b, which is in bearings beneath the draft-frame, a large spurwheel, E,is keyed, which engages with a pinion spur-wheel, e, and on the transverse shaft c of this pinion e a bevel spur-Wheel, G, is keyed, whichengages with a suitable pinion, g, on the longitudinal crank-shaft H.

From the crank d of shaft H a pitman, I, extends to the' cutter-bar M, with which it is connected by a universal joint, m. This joint allows a free motion and adjustment of the finger-beam and cutter-bar in every direction, and at the same time allows of the joint to be made strong and closely ittin g, so as to avoid undue friction and wear at this point.

The pinion-shaft c and also the crank-shaft H are supported in bearings which are located beneath the draft-frame, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to have less inclination of the pitmanrod I, and also to leave the front part of the draft-frame clear.

The inner end of the pitman-rod I is constructed with half-boxes 1 2, which receive between them the crank-wrist d. The half-block l is fitted into the forked end of the pitmancutter-blade, to be attached thereto.

rod,and the block 2 is, firmly secured on this end of the pitman by means of studs and nuts 3 3. The boXes or blocks l 2 are not set close together, so that as they wear away around the wrist d they can be easily tightened again by setting up the nuts 3 3. Thus this point of connection of the pitman can be prevented from working too loose, or so loose as to cause an irregularity in the movement of the sickle.

The blocks 1 2 may be made of brass or some metal different from that of which the crank-pin d is made, for the purpose of increasing the durability of the joint.

The cutter-bar M is sunk entirely into and slides in a groove in the Lipper side of the tinger-bar L, where it may be secured by fixed tongues j j. The cutters inlay be separately secured to the cutter-bar, or compose a single The guard-iingers k 7c are secured to the under side of the finger-bar L and the notches or grooves through which the cutters slide should be sufficiently wide to allow space enough above these cutters to prevent the` clogging of grass or grain therein. The lower cuttin g-ed ges of the cutters should, ot' course, move in close contact with the lower sides of the finger-notches.

The finger-bar L is provided with an arm, K7 projecting pcrpendicula'rly upward from its inner end, or that end which is 'nearest the draft-frame. This arm is provided with a set of holes, at regular distances apart, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, through any one of which a bolt, Z, passes, and also through a hole in a bearing or hanger, J, which is attached rigidly to the frame A. On this bolt the finger-bar freely oscillates or'vibrates, so that it can be raised as far as necessary from the ground at its outer end, or adapt itself to any unevenness of the surface of the ground. The outer end of the finger-bar L is supported upon the ground by a Wheel, T, which runsin bearings U U, projecting backward from the outer end of said iinger-bar. These bearings have a set of vertically-arranged holes, s s s, Fig. 2, corresponding in their distance apart and height with the holes in the arm K, which is fixed to the inner end of the finger-beam. The aXle t of the wheel T is inserted into any of these holes s, corresponding with the hole in arm K which receives the pivotbolt l; and thus the nger-bar is adjusted to any height from the ground desired, so as to leaveashorter or longer stubble, at pleasure; also leaving the hinge movement of the fm ger-bar free and unimpeded'in all adjustable positions given to said finger-bar. This vertical adjustment and the'hinge movement of the fingerbar do not in the least interfere with the motion communicated to the cutter-bar, since the employment of the crank and pitman for actuating the cutters admits of such movement and adjustment without derangen1ent,.and the uni versal joint, which connects the pitman to the cutter-bar, prevents the possibility of binding the motion of said bar. p

The rake platform or frame N, to be used in reaping, is suitably secured at its front edge to the rear edge of the iinger-bar L. At the rear edge of this frame is a strong brace or bar, V, one end of which projects from the inner corner of said frame, and is hinged by a bolt, g, Fig. 3, to a hanger or post, J', extending downward from the frame A. Tlie hanger J is adjustable vertically in its frame, or it may be provided with a series of holes, at distances apart and heights corresponding with those in the arm K of the finger-bar. Thus the rake frame or platform, upon which the cut grain falls, is allowed the same hinge movement and vertical adjustment as the iinger-bar has to which it is attached.

Transversely over the rake-frame a rods, u a, or their equivalents, are secured, substantially as represented, to receive the falling grain, and their outer ends, o o, turn upward at an inclination which will keep the grain above the wheel T and throw it inward atthe outer edge sufficiently to be reached by the rake, and also to give room for the teeth of the rake to turn up beneath. The grain is delivered by the rake over the inner edge of the rake-frame, and deposited upon the ground out of the path of the team in the next passage around the field.

The rake S is located just beneath the rods a, so that its teeth when upright will project upward beyond them and the grain which is lying across them.

The rake bar or head is pivoted at its ends in a carrier, R, the rear end of which slides between ways n a, located transversely along the rear edge of the rake-frame. This crossend, which slides in the ways n n,is extended as far as the construction of the reaper will admit, in order to give a long bearing in the ways, and thereby prevent the racking of the carrier from its proper position, so as to iinpede its free motion.

The rake-head, being pivoted in its bearings so as to turn freely forward one-fourth of a circle, or thereabout, as soon as it begins to retreat from the terminus of its inward.

,movement, after having cast off a bunch-of grain, allows its teeth to fall by their own weight, or the slightest resistance oifered by the grain which lies on the supporting-rods u u, toa horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 5.

In order to raise the teeth again to a vertical position for action at the outer termination of the rakes movement, a camprojection, p, Fig'. 5, is secured to the rake-head at one end, and a stop, o, is attached to the rakeframe in a proper position to act upon the cam p just as the rake reaches the outer termination of its stroke.

When once the rake-teeth are brought to a vertical position, the rake-head not being allowed to turn back any farther, the resistance ofthe grain against which the teeth are drawn keeps them upright duringlthe inward stroke of the rake.

The reciprocating motion is communicated to the rake through a pitman, Q, extending set of.

from a crank, P, to the rake-carrier R. This crank is secured to a shaft, O, which extends forward over the frame A, and receives a ro- .tary motion from a pinion,f, on the crankshaft H through a gear-wheel, 7L, on the front end ot' said shaft 0.

In order to vary the speed of the rake the gear-wheel It can be readily removed, and others of different size used; and in order to make the several sizes of these gear-wheels engage properly into the pinion f, the bearings a c of the shaft O are made laterally adjustable on frame A, as shown in the drawings, or in any other convenient manner.

The employment of the crank and pitmah P Q for communicating the motion to the rake allows this adjustment to be made without in the slightest degree disarranging the action of the rake, as well as allowing the vertical adjustment and hinge movement of the rakeframe without disarrangement of any part.

To avoid variation of the limits of the rakes movement by the adjustment of theibearings c c, the pitinanQ may be lengthened or shortcned by using a set of holes therein to receive the wrist of the crank P.

The reel W' is supported by arms X X, which are hinged to theback part of the rake-frame or platform N, as representedin the drawings, whereby the reel may be swung over to the standing grain without interfering with the deposit ofthe falling grain or with the operation of the rake beneath. It is often requisite, also, to have free access to the top ofthe rake-frame; and this method of hinging the reel thereto enables it to be swung back out of the way in such cases.

At some distance from the lower ends of the swinging arms X X braces zo fw are hinged to a bar, X', connecting the armsX, for the double purpose of strengthening the reel-frame and furnishing a support for these braces, which extend downward a suflicient length'to reach the upper edge of the platform or frameN, in whatever position the reel may be placed. The lower ends of said braces are curved, and notched in the outer edgesof the curved portions, substantially as shown in Fig. 2l These notches receive or bear against the corners of the upper edge of the rake-frame, which should be a few inches vlower than the joints ot' the arms X. The effect of this arrangement of the notched braces is to retain the reel at various heights, according to the particular notches which rest against the rake-frame, whether' the reel is swung forward to the standing grain, as shown in black lines in Fig. 2, or swung back off from the rake-frame, as indicated in red lines in the same figure; and at the same time they brace or firmly hold the reel in the different positions, by reason of the eccentricity of their points ot' support on the rake-frame from the center of the reels swinging movement.

Motion is imparted to the reel by means of pulleys r r attached, respectively, to the reelshaft and to the wheel T or its axle t, and of jection attending reels which are a band, q, connecting said pulleys. The band q is unclasped from the pulleys when the reel is to beswung back, and it may be lengthened or shortened in any convenient manner, for adjusting the reel to diiferent heights from 'the platform to adapt it to grain of different heights. i

It will be seen from this description of one Inode of carrying out the invention that the reel and the rake are both supported upon the platform, and that they have no support upon the draft-frame, said platform being hinged at its inner end to the draft-frame, and supported upon the ground at its outer end, so as to conform to the undulations thereof when the machine is in operation. It will also be seen that the platform N is so hinged to the draft-frame that this platform has a free verticall vibratin g movement.

With such a platform and a reel havin g its inner and outer supports uponv it, and a rake also supported wholly upon it, a perfectly harmof nious movement of these parts is obtained Without having any of the partsliable to bind and work hard. By this arrangement, the obported upon the draft-frame and partly upon the platform is obviated.

I am aware that a reel which is wholly mounted upon ahinged platform has been combined With an endless apron upon such plat-form, which apron delivered the cut grain from the inner side ofthe platform. Such an arrangement is found in the patent of T. N. Lupton, dated May 8, 1855; but that apron would not deliver the grain in bundles, like an intermittently-moving rake, which is so constructed and operated as to allow the cut grain to lie upon the platform until a suiiicientl amount has been thus accumulated, and then to rake it o Neither is there aprovision made in Luptons patent for raising and lowering the platform or cutting apparatus to suit different heights of grain to be cut, in conjunction with his reel and endless carrier.

Having thus described one mode of carrying out this invention, l wish to be understood that I do not confine myself to the pre cise contrivances herein described.

What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Combining with a hinged platform which is free to conform to the undulations of the ground independently of the motions of the draft-frame or of the axle of the transporting- Wheels a toothed rake which Will partly supf deliver the cut grain upon the ground in gavels, and a reel or gathering device which Will press the standing grain toward the cutters, said rake and reel or gatherer being wholly supported upon the said platform, substantially as described.

2. Combining with a hinged platform a toothed rake, and a reel or gatherer, which are wholly supported upon and move in harmony with said platform, an adjustable hinged connection which will allow ofthe vertical adjustment of the cutting apparatus to adapt the machine to diiferent heights of cut required, substantially as described.

3. Sustaining a toothed rake and a reel or gatherer wholly upon a platform which is supported at its inner end by a vertically-adjustable joint, and at its outer end by a wheel or its equivalent, substantially as described.

4. Suspending the hinged platform, which has a toothed rake mounted wholly upon' it, from the main draft-frame at a point in rear of the cutting apparatus'iu such manner that this part of the platform can be adjusted vertically without changing the position of the forward adjustable hinge-connection, substan tially as described.A y

5. The combination of a hinged iin ger-beam, a platform, and an auxiliary adjustable suspending and sustaining flexible connection in such manner that the finger-beam and platform are firmly suspended at their inner ends, and are free to conform at their outer ends to the undulationsof the ground independently of the main frame or of the axle of the supporting-wheels, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a vertically-adjustable hinge-joint and hinge movement of the linger-beam and cutter-bar, and with the crank d, for communicating motion to the cutters,y the employment of the universal joint m to connect the pitman I with the cutter-bar, substantially as described, and the adjustable blocks l and 2 for tightening the joint around the crank-wrist et, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of crank-shaft O with adjustable bearings a c, the pitman Q, and the oscillating' rake S, substantially as described.

8. Hanging the reel to the rake frame or platform, and adjusting said reel to different heights by means of braces w w, or their equivalents, substantially as described.

R. T. CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

HENRY SYLvEsTER, EDW. SGHAFER.

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